Solutions for Health Insurance Coverage

When it comes to health care, there is no "one size fits all."

Ideally, working for an employer who offers non-contributory health insurance is what most of us would aspire to. However, that is not a realistic scenario.

Finding affordable, adequate health care coverage is a huge problem in our country right now. If you are in a situation where you require certain medications and have no access to reduced rates on prescriptions you can almost bet the farm that you will be paying top dollar for the medications you need.

When considering a change in employment, scrutinizing the potential employers health care plan is a given. Sadly, many people look at everything about a new job except the health care plan. Contracting a debilitating illness or becoming an unwilling participant in an accident is not something that anyone can foresee.

Life situations change and a health care plan that was adequate for a single person may not apply should he/she marry and even have children while employed. If their policy has no provisions for the addition of dependents in the future you can find your health care woefully inadequate. Take the time to project what your future situation might be and plan accordingly.

One of the most overlooked segments of our society are the self-employed. Depending on age and dependent requirements, the cost for individual coverage can be astronomical.

If you are self-employed or a very small business owner, consider joining a local association like a chamber of commerce, better business bureau or some other type of business organization. Many of these organizations offer access to health care that might otherwise be prohibitive on an individual basis.

Unless you are in a category considered as "low income" that would afford you access to social health care, you can plan on paying hefty premiums. If you have a pre-existing condition, your chances of obtaining affordable rates are statistically very low. But, there are some things you can do.

Some tips to bear in mind are:

- Make certain you are looking at insurance that is appropriate and adequate for your needs.
- Read the fine print so you understand what is included and what is excluded.
- Never buy a policy that covers a single disease.
- Are there deductibles and if so, how much?
- Does the coverage include major medical?
- What is the maximum out of pocket expense you can expect to incur?
- When does coverage begin?
- Does the coverage include prescriptions?
- Are lab fees and x-rays included?
- Can you choose your own physician or select from a list of providers?
- What is most important to you?
- Does the coverage include dental, vision, maternity, well-baby care, etc.

If you are in that "no mans land" where you do not yet qualify for Medicare, Medicaid or any of the other social programs yet are too old for individual coverage you might take a look at AARP. It can provide a stop gap for that period of time while you are waiting to qualify for assistance.

If you are a young single parent, investigate any subsidized programs that might be available in your state. Many states have programs that will provide care for your children if not for yourself. These social programs are generally based on a sliding scale based on your income level and in many cases visits and prescriptions for your children might be free of charge.

Investigate non-insurance type programs. If you find yourself not able to pay the hefty monthly insurance premiums, can't get the coverage you need, or fall into areas that are not covered by traditional health insurance means, this type of program can literally save you thousands of dollars. This non-insurance solution gives members negotiated reduced fee schedules or discounts for medical, dental, prescriptions, hospitals, vision care, and more.

With the skyrocketing costs of health care, no one should ever feel embarrassed or sacrifice the health of themselves or their loved ones by applying for any type of assistance that might be available to meet their needs. Until something happens to curb this upward spiral we must all take special steps to see that the most vulnerable members of our society receive the health care they need... namely, our children and our elderly.

Jill R. Hyland is an Independent Marketing Representative, National Director for Maxous, Inc., a non-insurance company saving people 20% to 50% on things people purchase every single day, such as Fast Food-Dining, Medical, Movies, Prescriptions, Car Services, Vision, Legal, Dental, Golfing, Bowling, Haircuts, Travel, and much, much more - As Low as $19.99 per month for the whole family!
http://www.discountspro.com

Health Insurance for the Self Employed

Health insurance, having enough and being able to afford it, is
one of the most nagging concerns for those who leave corporate
America to run their own business.

Many small businesses have dropped health coverage or reduced it
in the past three years because of rising rates. About 24
million of American small-business employees and their families
are uninsured, according to a study by the Kaiser Family
Foundation.

The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) is a
federal law that requires employers to allow departing workers
to buy health insurance through the employer's group plan. For
the first 18 months after you leave your employer you may elect
to continue to receive coverage in your employer's group plan at
your expense.

However, the cost of the monthly premiums for COBRA can come as
quite a surprise if you're accustomed to you employer picking up
most of your health insurance tab via pretax paycheck
deductions. COBRA coverage for a family can run $500 a month,
and upwards of $200 a month for an individual.

Depending on which State you live in COBRA may not necessarily
be the best deal for you. Shop around, you may find joining a
short term insurance plan to be less expensive than continuing
your current insurance under COBRA.

One piece of good news for the self-employed - Starting in 2003,
the self-employed health insurance deduction is increased to
100% from the 70% that was deductible in 2002. As a result, if
you work as a consultant, freelance worker, and other
self-employed individual you will be allowed to deduct all of
your health insurance premiums. The self-employed health
insurance deduction is especially valuable because it is an
above the line deduction for Adjusted Gross Income (AGI). This
means that you can take advantage of this deduction even if you
do not you itemize your deductions on your tax return.

Even with health insurance the portion of medical expenses that
has to come out of your pocket can be more than you imagine. If
you have to dip into your retirement savings for certain medical
expenses, distributions from your IRA used for that purpose may
be exempt from the IRS 10 percent early withdrawal penalty.
However, you still will have to pay taxes on the IRA
distribution. Another alternative is to transfer your IRA to a
Self-Employed 401(K) plan and take a loan from that plan. Loans
from a 401(k) plan are tax-free and penalty free as long as the
loans are paid back.

Daniel Lamaute is a retirement plans specialist with Lamaute
Capital. Its website www.investsafe.com covers retirement plans
and other benefits for the self-employed.

HIPAA Compliance

All entities that process health care data must comply with HIPAA. Such entities mainly include healthcare providers and insurance companies. According to the provisions made under this Act, any entity that transmits or stores the private health care information of an individual must comply with certain security regulations.

To ensure smooth compliance with HIPAA, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has the authority to decide which particular codes should be used to identify administrative and medical expenses. This department, as a part of the compliance strategy, can create a safe identification system for clients, insurance carriers and health-care providers. This ID system is a national system.

HHS also has the authority to implement any other procedure necessary to secure private or personal information. Various organizations comply with HIPAA within certain prescribed time limits. Some of them are given 24 months, and those going for small plans can have around 36 months.

Any employer acting as a health care provider must comply with standards set up by HIPAA. There are penalties for non-compliance of HIPAA standards. The rules and regulations for various procedures set up under HIPAA may not be that easy to understand, for an individual. There are several organizations which can help you to comply with HIPAA standards. The help is available online as well as offline. A number of training courses are available for doctors, nurses and anyone else who is interested in learning easy and simple compliance procedures related to HIPAA. These training courses and programs are useful, especially for administrators, physicians and practice managers. Such programs are available online also. A certificate is provided after you complete the program.



HIPAA provides detailed information on HIPAA, HIPAA Compliance, HIPAA Laws, HIPAA Software and more. HIPAA is affliated with Electronic Medical Record Systems.

Alert: New HIPAA Rules Could Affect Your Organization's Email System

On April 21, 2005, a new Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) security rule went into effect. The requirements of this rule, which are basically information security best practices, focus on the three cornerstones of a solid information security infrastructure: confidentiality, integrity and availability of information.

The HIPAA regulatory requirements encompass transmission, storage and discoverability of Protected Health Information (PHI). Given the widespread use and mission-critical nature of email, enforcement of HIPAA encryption policies and the growing demand for secure email solutions, email security has never been more important to the healthcare industry than it is right now.

Although many assume it applies only to health care providers, HIPAA affects nearly all companies that regularly transmit or store employee health insurance information. HIPAA was signed into law in 1996 by former President Bill Clinton, with the intent of protecting employee health and insurance information when workers changed or lost their jobs. As Internet use became more widespread in the mid-to-late 1990s, HIPAA requirements overlapped with the digital revolution and offered direction to organizations needing to exchange healthcare information.

HIPAA in the Workplace
Collaboration between employers and healthcare professionals has grown increasingly digital, and email has played an ever-increasing role in this communication. However, email’s increased importance can lead to severe consequences without proper security and privacy measures implemented.

In addition to the usual concerns about privacy and security of email correspondence, even organizations that are not in the healthcare industry must now consider the regulatory compliance requirements associated with HIPAA. The Administrative Simplification section of HIPAA, which, among other things, mandates privacy and security of Protected Health Information (PHI), has sparked concern about how email containing PHI should be treated in the corporate setting. HIPAA, as it relates to email security, is an enforcement of otherwise well-known best practices that include:

* Ensuring that email messages containing PHI are kept secure when transmitted over an unprotected link

* Ensuring that email systems and users are properly authenticated so that PHI does not get into the wrong hands

* Protecting email servers and message stores where PHI may exist

Organizations regulated by HIPAA must comply and put these practices in place. However, the need to comply with regulations puts particular pressure on the healthcare industry to enhance their use of technology and “catch up” with other industries of similar size and scope.

Privacy and Email Security
The privacy protection provisions in HIPAA pose a major compliance challenge for the healthcare industry. These provisions are intended to protect patients from disclosure of any of their individually identifiable health information. Organizations that fail to protect this information face fines ranging from $10,000 to $25,000 for each instance of unauthorized disclosure. If the disclosure is found to be intentional, HIPAA provides for fines ranging from $100,000 to $250,000 and possible jail time for individuals involved in the violations.

The clock is ticking – it’s time to get started
Bringing an enterprise into compliance with the rules set by HIPAA can seem like a very daunting task to even the most experienced executives. Nonetheless, the growing dependence on email as a mission-critical application requires that your organization implement comprehensive security and privacy policies – and soon. A solid combination of security policies and the technologies to enforce those policies can ensure improved security as well as HIPAA readiness and ongoing adherence.

Dr. Paul Judge is a noted scholar and entrepreneur. He is Chief Technology Officer at CipherTrust, the industry's largest provider of enterprise email security solutions. Learn how to make your email system comply with HIPAA regulations by visiting http://www.ciphertrust.com.